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Sutter's 29th birthday was on March 12. To celebrate, her best friend came over with a piece of cake. As they sat on her couch, they snapped a selfie to send to her mom in Illinois. Looking back on this photo, Sutter was struck by how much things have changed since this last moment of normalcy.

“We look a lot more happy and carefree than I feel now,” she said.

\"Alison
Alison Sutter
Alison Sutter is seen celebrating her birthday on March 12 with a friend.
>

One of Sutter’s friend’s came into town to stay with her just as the city began to shut down. Sutter was worried entering her apartment after spending the day at work and commuting on the subway. She thought that if her friend got sick, it would be coming from her. The friend stayed for several weeks before ultimately making the decision to go home. Now, Sutter is back to living alone.

Sutter said the work she does is not easy as Community Access is working to maintain supportive services while managing an agency-wide response to the coronavirus. After an especially difficult day, she reflected, saying it feels like “nothing we can do is quite enough at this point.”

A common concern in mental health and social work is burnout. Sutter said that in order to manage the stress of her work, she is practicing self-care at home, whether it be watching “garbage television” or picking back up an old cross-stitching project that she started months ago. She strives to continue helping those who are especially vulnerable during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I'm proud to be an essential worker for Community Access,\" she said, \"knowing that, as long as we're operating, our tenants have a safe place to be and have supportive services that they can access.\"

If you or a loved one is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The ABC News podcast, “The Essentials: Inside the Curve,” features first-person diaries from the people on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, the essential workers risking their own health and safety to ensure others are taken care of. Subscribe for free at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else to get your podcasts.

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